Collapsible tube casing and dispenser having a rotatable and slidable closure plug



1952 c. s. FREDERICK COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CASING AND DISPENSER HAVING A ROTATABLE AND SLIDABLE CLOSURE PLUG Filed June 11, 1951 JNVENTOR. CHARLEJ 45: Rang/wok 4 T TOR/V5) Patented Oct. 14, 1952 TUNITED STAT COLL "PSI'BLE TUBE CASING AND ms- PENSER HAVING A ROTATABLE AND SLIDABLE CLQSURE PLUG I Charles S. Frederick, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 11; 1951, Serial No. 230,949

This invention relatesin general to dispensing devices and more particularly to :apparatus for supporting and dispensing the contents of collapsible tubes. a 1

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive'and convenient combined support'and dispenser that will enable and insure manually regulated even, and even.-' tually complete, ejection of the collapsible tube contents in accordance with the desires of the operator. I I I v Another object is to provide in such an apparatus a means whereby the screw cap of the tube may be discarded when the-tube is installed in the a'pparatus'and which apparatus is provid ed. with an "improved manually i installable and operable closure means for normally 'sealing the outlet and easily operable to open the same for manipulation of the tube squeezing key while the closure is open.

With the foregoing and other objects in'view,

the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in-the following specification and appended claims, certainembodimentsthereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the support, with the closure devicein closed position, the support being partly broken awayto show :a portion of the closure device, and the collapsible tube and operating key being shown in dotted-lines and secured together prior to ejection of the tube con-" tents.

Figure 2 is a view taken at right-anglesto Figure' l, showing suction cup fastening means and showing the closure means open and in greater detail, the tube being partially 'collapsed and part of its contents discharged;

' Figure3is a top plan view of thedispenser. l ig-ure l'is a view in elevation of the slidable base of the closure device; and

Figur'efi is adetail view of tube dispensing key-' and a fragmentary portion of the tube.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,.

the device includes a casing l with suction cups 2 as a mere example ofan expedient for releasably securingthe device to a wall.

Ihthe lower portion of the casing is removably and s'lidably mounted a closure plug 3. This closure plug is provided with a compound groove in its side wallthat includes a vertical groove 4, a

continuing horizontal groove'fi and a continuing downwardly extending groove 6. The lower inner surface of the casing is providedwith a lug, or .tit ,T. In assembling the plugs, the tit 1 is 4 claims. 7 (01. 222-100) 2 brought into registry with groove 4 and the plug 3 forced upwardly until the tit 1 reaches the bottom of groove 4, after which the plug is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figures 1, 2 and l, with tit I riding in horizontal groove 5 in the plug. This leaves the plug free to be manually pushed up and down in the casing with the tit 1 riding in vertical groove 6 without removal of the plug from the casing; Knob 8 is representative of any desired means for manual manipulation of the plug. v

The plug is further provided in itsupper Wall with a screw threaded opening 9 with a vertical passage H], a generally transverse communicating'passage II to a discharge opening 12 in the, side wall of; the plug. After the conventional screw cap has been removed from the-collapsible tube I3, the screw neck M of the tube is'screwed into the screw threaded opening 9 in the plug.

As shown in Figure 3, the two opposite sides of thecyIindrical casing l are formed'with vertical slots. l5 that extend the majority qfjthe-leng-th of the casing. These opposed slotssupport and form -guides for a cylindrical key barrel-=l6 that carries manual knobs IT and its'two ends. The

key barrel 16 has a convenient side: slot -l8-to en- E gage the closed and crimped end I9 of the collapsible tube. Figure 1 shows the crimped end engaged by thekeyprior to the winding, of the key tofcollapse the tube. As the key is appropriately wound-to rotate the key shaft, the'tube is accordingly wound about the. key shaft. from its crimped end downwardly. The engagement of the" key shaft with the two opposed casingslots 15 ininto the casin until. plug flange 20 abuts .the'bottom of thecasing. When :it is desiredto'eject some of the contents ofthe collapsible tube; the operator engages thev knob 8 and pulls the plug downwardly tofitsy position of Figuref2; .This 4 opens the discharge outlet I2. The two knobs ill arethen rotated manually. This winds up the tube from its flatendand ejects some of thecom tents of the'tube as the key barrel is'vertically guided by casing slots. 1-5.; ,The desired quantity of the tube contents .is,thus-sque'ezedout of the tube through the side walldischarge outletil'z. in

the plug. Closureof, thisvoutlet is accomplished merely by manua-llywpushing; the plug upwardly toits positionof F ured. 1As'a-furtherirefinement in the closure operation, the discharge opening 12 is indented and a coacting recess 2! formed in casing l to confine the tube contents against flow while the plug opening is closed.

In actual assembly, if desired, the plug 3 may be removed from the casing. After the usual tube screw cap has been removed, the open screw head M of the tube may be screwed into the screw threads 9 of the plug. Thereafter, the plug is manually positioned to bring its vertical side groove 4 into registry with the internal casingtit 1 and the plug forced upwardly in the casing, The tit rides in groove 4 to its bottom, after which the plug is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, as the tit rides in groove 5 to its right extremity. where it blends in with groove 6. This releasably locks the plug and casingtogether but permits vertical adjustment of the plug between the upper and lower limits of groove 6, as previously described.

This positions the flat crimped end of the tube near'the top'of the casing with the key barrel i6 placed in the opposed casing slots 15, the fiattened crimped end Hi of the tube is easily fitted in the-side groove 18 of key barrel 16. Afterwards, the key barrel is manually rotated by the hand knobs H to windthe tube and collapse the same in accordance with the desired discharge of the tube contents when the discharge outlet I2 isopen. The tube, key and plug may be just as readily disassembled from each other and the casing and reassembled in the installation of a new tube. 1 Thus, it will be seen that there has been provideda simple'and efiicient collapsible tube support anddispenser that adequately supports the tube and guides the movements of it and the winding key in the discharging operation and which is provided with a simple and foolproof closure means. No complicated spring, lever or pawl and ratchet operating means are employed. With the plug fitting snugly slidable in the casing, the plug, besides supporting the tube, carries the discharge outlet and the casing normally closes the discharge outlet. Instead of employing additionalclosure means, manual pushing up on the plug closes the discharge outlet and manualpulling down on the plug opens the discharge outlet. The tube, plug and winding key are easily assembled together and in the casing, and just as easily disassembled for theinstallationofa new tube. The plug is easily inserted and locked in the casing for relative longitudinal adjustment and just as for any desired purpose.

I claim:

1. In a, collapsible tube support and tube dispenser, a casing and a closure plug releasably and slidably mounted for longitudinal movement therein, said tube having a permanently closed end and an openable end, the latter of which is adapted to be releasably secured to said plug, a discharge-outlet in the side of said plug for the contents of said tube, said plug being longitu-, dinally adjustable into a retracted position in said casing where said casing coversand closes said discharge outlet and also longitudinally adjustable into an extended position in said oasing for uncovering and opening said discharge outlet, manually operable means for engaging the closed end. of said tube for squeezing the contents of said tube into said discharge outlet and cooperating guide members in said casing and carried by said tube for guiding the longitudinal movements of saidrmanualmeans as it is opereasily manually removed 4 ated to squeeze out and discharge the contents of said tube through its openable end.

2. In a collapsible tube support and tube dispenser, a casing and a closure plug releasably and slidably mounted for longitudinal movement therein, said tube'having a permanently closed and flattened end and an openable end, the latter of which is adapted to be releasably secured to said plug, a discharge outlet in the side of said plug for the contents of said tube, said plug being longitudinally adjustable into a retracted position in said casing where said casing covers and closes said discharge outlet and also longitudinally adjustable; into an extended position in said casing for uncovering and opening said discharge outlet, manually operable means including a slotted barrel for engaging the closed flattened end of said tube and a manually operable keycar-ried by said barrel to rotate the latter, I

for squeezing the contents of said tube into said discharge outlet, said casing having longitudinal slots therein for receiving said barrel guiding the longitudinal movements of said barrel as it is rotated to squeeze out and discharge the'contents of said tube through its openable end.

3. In a collapsible tube support and tube dispenser, a casing and a closure plug releasablyand slideably mounted for longitudinal movement therein, means including a lug and a compound groove in said casing and plug and so cooperatively arranged that relative longitudinal move-,

ment of said lug and groove, locks the casing and plug together, leaving the plug longitudinally adjustable in said casing by further, longitudinal movement of said-lug in said groove, said tube having a permanently closed end and an openable end, the latter of which is adapted to be releasably secured to said plug, a discharge outletin the side of said plug for the contents of said tube, said plug being longitudinally adjustable into a 4 retracted position in said casing where said casing covers and closes said discharge outlet and also longitudinally adjustable into an extended position insaid casing for uncovering and opening said discharge outlet, manually operable means forengaging the closed end, of said tube, for squeezing the contents of said tube intousaid discharge outlet and cooperating guide members in-saidcasing and carried by said tube for guid-,

ngthe. longitudinal movements of said manual means as it is operated to squeezeout and discharge the contents openable end.

4. In a collapsible tube support, a casing and a closure plug releasably and slidably mounted for longitudinal movement therein, means including a lug and a compound groove in said casing and plug and so cooperatively arranged of said tube through its that relative longitudinal movement .of' saidlug and groove locks the casing and plug together,

leaving the plug longitudinally adjustable in. said.

casing by further longitudinal movement of said. lug in said groove, said tubehaving a permanently closed and flattened end and an openable end, the latter of which is adapted to be releasably secured to said plug, the side of said plugfor the contents of said tube, said plug being longitudinally adjustable into a retracted position in said casing where said casing covers and closes said discharge outlet and also longitudinally; adjustable into an extended position in said casing for uncovering and opening said discharge outlet, manually operable means, including a slotted barrel for engaging the closedflattened end of said tube and a manu a discharge outlet in,

6 ally operable key carried by said barrel to rotate the latter for squeezing the contents of said tube FEFERENCES CITED into said discharge outlet, said casing having The OlI Wm references are of record in the longitudinal slots therein for receiving said barrel file 0f thlS p and for guiding the longitudinal movements of 5 FOREIGN PATENTS said barrel as it is operated to squeeze out and discharge the contents of said tube. Number Country Date CHARLES FREDERICK 210,295 Switzerland Sept. 16. 1940 

